Engine-starting mechanism



E. R. HUNTLEY ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Original Filed Sepi. 9, 1920 March 9 1926.

Patented Mar. 9, 1.926.

UNITED STATES luttent` oFFlcE. A

ERNEST R. HUNTLEY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORTO INDUSTRIAL RE- SEARCH CORPORATION, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, CORPORATION-OIE DELAWARE.

ENGINE-STARTING MECIIANISI'.

Application led September 9, 1920, Serial No. 409,141. RenewedJune 4, 19,24.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, ERNEST R. I'IUNTLEY, a kcitizen lof the Unitedl States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have Vinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine-Starting Mechanism, of which I declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description. f

This invention relates Vto engine starting mechanism. More specifically vit relates to means for start-ing an internal combustion engine by means of an electric motor, wherein a connecting` drive is used which automatically engages and disengages with the engine before and after the starting of the same. f

An object of the invention is to provide a mechanism which starts the engine subsequent to the motor energizpation without the necessity of any manual movements.

A second object is to supply anautomatic starting system wherein positive connection between the motor and driving pinion is entirely prevented after the engine has been started.

Another object is to provide a yielding clutch mechanism in which jamming of the clutch elements is made impossible.

i Still another object is the provision of a drive mechanism wherein the variation of loadfat starting due to the compression of the engine cylinders is yieldingly absorbed. j F urther' objects and objects relating to 'details of construction and economies of manufacture will become apparent from the subsequent description.

In the accompanying drawing Figure I is a longitudinal View of the starting mechanism, with parts in section, and

Figure II is a transverse section taken on lines IIII of Figure I and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts, an electric ymotor 10 is disclosed, having an armature' 11, and a hollow shaft 12. The motor casing 13 is formed with'ilanges 14 at one end which afford means for attaching the motor to the engine adjacent the engine flywheel or equivalent engine gear member. This end of the motor casing has also a protruding central portion 15 which is apertured to receive a bushing 16. The bushings 16 and 17 form bearings for the hollow shaft 12, which in turn vis keyed to the motor armature l1' and is rotatable therewith.

pinion respectively, and yin order to facilitate this enmeshment the teeth of the pinion are curved as at 26.

As intimated above, the drive shaft is formed for slidable movement within the hollow shaft, and to take care of thisy function the inner or drive end of the hollow shaft is threaded internally to receive a bushing 27 wherein the shaft 18 has both axial -and rotary movement. The inner surface of the bushing is grooved to receive a split ring 28 serving as means for preventing ingress ofdirt. "f1

The other or outer end of the` drive shaft 18 is formed with a coarse thread 29 which is adapted for movementk wthina nut 30 loosely mounted fork rotary. and longitudinal movement within the hollow shaft. The inner end of the nut is formed with a jaw member '31 for al purpose hereinafter disclosed. The outer end of the nut normally has contact with a cylinder 32 screw thread- Ved to the hollow shaft 12 at 33 and serving as an-outer stop for the axial movement of the nut 30. The outer end of the cylinder carries a plate 34 which is transversely a stop against extended inner movement of the shaft 18.

Al second tubing 43 is loosely mounted on the drive shaft 18 adjacent the tubing 40 Aand is secured to the'hollow shaft by means of a split ring 44, riding in corresponding grooves and 46 out in the tubing and hol-V low shaft respectively, As indicated at`47,

to permit proper assembly the groove 46 has its inner wall formed ata broad angle.

Both ends of the tubing 43 are eut to .form

jaw clutch elements, the element 48 being de-y signed for Connection with the yclutch, elefV ment 4l aboveV mentioned. Theclutch element 49 of the tubing 43 is'designed for co` operative engagement with the ljaw member `3l, through a spring' 50 which is coiled around the drive shaft and has its inner and outer ends abutting the jaw clutch elements 49 and 31. respectively. shown in Figure II is not circular in cross section `but has flattened portions 51 and outstanding portions 52, the latter portions hav- -ing frictional engagement with the inner wall `of `the hollow shaft In additionthe spring is slightly `under compression so the nut` 30 is held normally at the limits of `its outward movement against the stop 32.

The clutch elements4l, 48, 49 and 3l are so formed that a drive connection is maintained when the farinature rotates in a counter-clockwise direction looking inward along the shaft toward the pinion. i

The operation of he mechanism isas followsza Assuming anenergization of the inotor, the armature and its hollow shaft having a counter-clockwise rotation, inasmuch as the frictionbetween the tubing 43 and its holding` ring and the spring and` hollow A shaft is material, these parts will rotate the nut 3.0 withthe hollow shaft. The friction on `the drive shaft is, on the other hand,

Vslight andits inertia considerable and con-V sequently the drive shaft will screw itself automatically into the nutthereby `drawing the pinion into mesh with the engine gear. In the event that` the gear teeth meet. endwise the nut will be pull'edin slightly against the spring until the increased friction causes a partialrotation ofthepinion sufficient to `clear the teeth when proper enmeshment will ensue.

-Tlieclutch elements 4l and 48 have 'the` saine pitch approximately as the thread 29 so that when the pinion is in mesh these elements engage with the axial surfacesonly of the jaws in contact thereby preventing j amming of the coacting surfaces` and consequent difficulty of disengagement.

Immediately on engagement of the clutch elements 4lA and 49 there is a tendency to ,transmit motion from the rotating shaft to thenon-rotating drive shaft now held by the engine` load. There is therefore a` b aclr imi `pulse transmitted to the spring which tends to unwind the same and results, first, in a i yielding out movement of the flattened spring .sections until complete contact of the spring periphery and hollow `shaft is made,` and second, in a positive drive between the hol` rIihe `spring 50 asV low shaft and spring due to the `highly increased frictional contact` thereinbetween.

The motor then starts the engine in the usual the engine member` whilerotating from engine power `were' to accidentally` engage the pinion, the impulse transmitted. is identical .to the starting impulseandinerely tends to wind the spring in a direction to contract the same, thereby tending to completely, 4

brealr down frictional engagement between the drive shaft-and hollow, shaft and prevent any` injurious motion being transmitted to the n'iotor armature,`

I `am aware hat the particular2 embodi-L ment of my invention herein shown and described is susceptible of considerable varia.

tion without departingfrom the spirit there.-

cated bythe appended claims.

I claim as my invention: I

l. In a motor starter for engines, in combination an engine` member; ,a motor having ahollow shaft; a drivejshaft secured within; i. the hollow shaft and adapted for axial and l rotative e pinion on one endof the drive shaftadapted movement relative c thereto;` a

for connection with the -engine member;

a screw thread, at the4 other end 'of the drive shaft having co-operative engagement with an internally threadedfnut mounted within of, and I therefore desire to claim my inven- .tion broadly as well as specifically as indi ics the hollow shaft;` a jaw clutch within the hollow shaft concentric with and loosely mounted on they driveshaft;` a coiled S ring surrounding the driveshaftheends o saidV spring being operatively connected to said clutch and nut respectivelyjand a clutch member fixed to` the drive'shaft; said pinion and engine member, clutch members., and spring Vand hollow shaft being adapted to form automatically a `positive driving ,connection between the motor and the engine member whenV the motor is. initially energized `and togdisengage automatically when` the engine member is driven byl the engine.V

2. In a drive mechanism, the combination of a drivenmember, a drive shaft,a pinion ,fixed .to the drive shaft .and adapted for movement intoY engagement with the driven member; a hollow shaft encompassing a portion of said drive shaft; and friction controlled means forinaugurating an initial axial movement and a subsequent rotary movement of said drive shaft.

3. In a starting mechanism for engines,

the combination of an engine member; a hollow shaft; a drive shaft within the hollow shaft; a pinion xed to one end of the drive shaft and adapted to engage with the engine member; clutch elements within the hollow shaft; and means for moving said clutch elements into operative engagement.

4. In a starting mechanism foiI engines; the combination of an engine member; a hollow shaft, a drive shaft within the hollow shaft; a pinion fixed to one end of thedrive shaft adapted to engagethe engine member; a clutch device within the hollow shaft comprising a clutch element fixed to the drive shaft; a double clutch element loosely mounted on the drive shaft for'rotary movement relative to said drive shaft and hollow shaft; and a coiled spring surrounding the drive shaft, said spring having a portion of its outer surface in frictional contact with the hollow shaft and one end thereof in engagement with the adjacent jaw of the double clutch element.

-5. A motor drive comprising a hollow shaft; a drive shaft having a pinion fixed thereon; a clutch element fixed to the drive shaft; a complementary clutch element loosely mounted on the drive shaft; and a resilient driving` connection between said crm lementary clutch element and hollow s a t.

6. In a starting mechanism for engines,.

the combination of anengine member; a hollow shaft; a drive shaft having a pinion at one end and a screw threadr at the other end, said drive shaft being positioned partially Within the hollow shaft; anut screw threaded on the threaded portion of the drive shaft, and adapted for both axial and rotary movement relative to the hollow shaft; a stop for limiting axial movement of the nut in one direction; a spring adapted to limit yielding movement of the nut in the opposite direction; and clutch means between the spring and drive shaft for establishing a positive driving connectionV from the motor to the pinion when the pinion is in engagement with the engine member. n l

7. A drive mechanism comprising a motor having` a hollow shaft; a drive shaft axially slidable and rotatable within said hollow shaft; a pinion fixed to one end of the drive shaft; means for moving the pinion axially into engagement with its load when the motor is started; and yielding kfrictional means operative to establish a positive driving connection between the motor and pinion subsequent to its engagement with the load.

'8. A starting mechanism for engines comprising a motor having a hollow shaft; a

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature.

ERNEST R. HUN TLEY. 

